Schoolboy rugby has always been about cycles.
A team can be good one year, but after a mass departure of pupils from a school at the end of the year, the strength of the side can fall dramatically.
At the other end, those teams down in the bottom reaches one year can climb higher if they retain players and improve.
King's High School is one side which is looking to push on after a disappointing season in the inaugural Highlanders First XV competition last year.
King's, which had had a very young line-up, finished eighth, but this year has 12 players returning from last year.
Darryl Paterson is coaching the side this year, switching from coaching the Southern premier team.
King's has just returned from a two-match tour of Australia, where it had a win and a loss.
Young halfback Caleb Gray will captain the side and looms as a big contributor.
Paterson said his team was still young, mainly made up of year 12 pupils, but should be wiser for the events of last year.
He was enjoying coaching the pupils, and said the trip to Australia was a great way to start the season.
The only way is up for Kavanagh College after the side finished bottom of the competition last year.
Kavanagh won just a couple of games last year and in pre-season fixtures has recorded two losses - to Roncalli College and John McGlashan College - and a win against Dunstan High School.
The team has about 10 players back from last year, with coach Tim Oliver also returning. He said the side learned plenty last year. The school does not have a Second XV, so is carrying a large squad.
John McGlashan College coach Mike Idour is more confident this season, and said the side had worked hard in pre-season.
He was expecting to improve on last year's 10th placing, and player fitness had improved.
The bulk of the McGlashan team was based around boys in the hostel, which had helped to foster team spirit, Idour said.
No 8 and captain Nathan Hull will be a key player, along with midfield backs Hamish Finnie and Alex Fitzgerald.
Verdon College has experienced a large turnover of players, with 12 of last year's side not returning.
Coach Scott Meredith said Verdon had lost some experience, but there was some good talent coming through.
Central Southland College withstood a strong challenge from Menzies College to retain its spot in the Highlanders secondary schools competition.
It won by one point, 15-14, in a play-off last month.
The school finished ninth in 2009 but has lost 14 of last year's squad and is starting a rebuilding phase.
Only seven players have returned to St Kevin's College from the team that finished 11th last year.
But the coaching staff have been encouraged by the form in pre-season games against Timaru Boys' and St Thomas' College from the Crusaders competition.
The strength of the team will be in the loose forwards, with captain Rory McNamara, and pacey outside backs Jack Allan, Sean Robertson and Tim Stukenboon.
FIRST XV: The facts
> VERDON COLLEGE
Base: Invercargill
2009: Seventh
Coaches: Scott Meredith, Derek Manson
Captain: Loose forward Sam Shannon
Key players: Logan Simpson (midfield back), Isaac Fleury (first five-eighth)
> KING'S HIGH SCHOOL
Base: Dunedin
2009: Eighth
Coaches: Darryl Paterson, Richard Lyndsay
Captain: Halfback Caleb Gray
Key players: Ayden Lloyd (prop), Paul Tupai (second five-eighth)
> CENTRAL SOUTHLAND COLLEGE
Base: Winton
2009: Ninth
Coaches: Greg Ballantyne, Steve Laughton
Captain: Not yet chosen
Key player: Connor McDermott (prop/hooker)
> JOHN MCGLASHAN COLLEGE
Base: Dunedin
2009: 10th
Coaches: Mike Idour, Marty Schaaf, Drew Pennycook
Captain: No 8 Nathan Hull
Key players: Braydon Pennycook (loose forward), Alex Fitzgerald (midfield back)
> ST KEVIN'S COLLEGE
Base: Oamaru
2009: 11th
Coaches: Richard McNamara, Paul Byrne, Andy Collins
Captain: Flanker Rory McNamara
Key players: Jack Allan (wing), Tim Stukenboon (centre)
> KAVANAGH COLLEGE
Base: Dunedin
2009: 12th
Coaches: Tim Oliver, John Woodhouse
Captain: Prop Brendon O'Connell
Key players: Guy Woodhouse (wing), James Paulomika (loose forward)